As we continue in the season of Advent, we are reminded of the hope we have in our God. For centuries God's people waited on the promise of the Messiah's coming. In lean times and dark hours, such promises from God seemed far away and uncertain; God himself seemed distant. But God's commitment to us never wavered, and the coming of Christ was always a certainty. We live in hope, in confidence, in the certainty of faith, setting aside fear -- because we know that God holds our safety in his hands. He keeps all his promises.
This week's Electric Gospel message is one filled with hope in God, who is eternally reliable. As a child of God sings in a favorite song, "Jesus loves me, this I know. ... Little ones to him belong; they are weak but he is strong."
“Do do not
fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God” (Isaiah 41:10)
do not be dismayed, for I am your God” (Isaiah 41:10)
Devotional article by Laurel Hirschmann
I am scared of losing my faith. I put off going to sleep, knowing that as soon as I go to bed, as soon as my brain shuts down for the day, I will tempted more than I ever have been. I am plagued with thoughts that have never challenged me more in my life. I try to reassure myself. I know God forgives me. I know God sent his Son to die in my place. I know Jesus rose from the dead and will come to take me to heaven someday. I know this is the truth. I know God is real. I know all the “right” things, so why am I so terrified that I will lose my faith?
Through faith alone. By Scripture alone. In Christ alone. By
grace alone.
I did nothing to earn my salvation. I am a sinful human being who
fell short and could not possibly come to the knowledge of the truth except
through the Holy Spirit. And God gave me his Holy Spirit. God gave me the gift
of eternal life, not because I earned or deserved it. He gave this precious
gift out of love, completely free of charge. I take this knowledge for granted.
I say these words without recognizing what comfort they bring. I do nothing –
nothing – to earn my salvation. My sinful nature keeps trying to tell me I do,
that somehow it is up to me. It is trying to say, “You have to hold on. You
were given the truth, but now it is up to you to keep it. Do not jump out of
God’s hand—that’s your responsibility.”
I know all the “right” things, but what I fail to remember
is that my faith is not left up to me. I did not come to it on my own. God
chose me. He set me apart from the beginning to be his child. He tells me this
countless times in his word. Christ’s apostle assures me, saying God
chose us in Christ “before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless
in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus
Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will” (Ephesians 1:4-5). Another
letter in Scripture provides further assurance of this: “He has saved us and
called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of
his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the
beginning of time” (2 Timothy 1:9). I rest my confidence in God’s
promise, which proclaims: “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined
according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the
purpose of his will” (Ephesians 1:11).
I do not need to fear. My faith is not up to me. It is not
my feeble, shaky grip on God, but God’s unwavering, firm grip on me that keeps
my faith secure. I know God forgives me. I know he sent his one and only Son to
atone for my sins. I know Jesus paid the price fully. I know he rose from the
dead. I know I will not lose my faith, because God promises he will not let go
of me, that nothing can separate me from his love (Romans 8:39). I know God
chose me, and I know I will spend an eternity with him in heaven.
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